


Movie Night

by maitredesnavires



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette, Angst, F/M, Fluff, I don't know how to use tags yet, Identity Reveal, Marichat, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, My First Fanfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2018-12-16 08:59:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11825394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maitredesnavires/pseuds/maitredesnavires
Summary: Adrien breaks Marinette's heart after she confesses that she loves him. He obviously feels terrible. Perhaps a movie with one of the saviors of Paris will help make her feel better?[I promise there's no sin in this one, I just can't write summaries.]





	1. Chapter 1

Adrien paced back and forth in his room. He felt terrible. How could he not? He hadn’t even seen it coming. 

_ I...well...I love you, Adrien.  _

Her voice still rang in his ears. “Thank you. That’s what I said, Plagg. Fucking thank you.” Adrien’s hands raked through his hair, pulling at the ends. Marinette had been so awkward around him that first year they knew each other. He had chalked it up to her still being uncomfortable around him after their not-so-stellar first impression. Sure she had gotten better after a while; he’d even say they were friends, best friends, really. They had been hanging out with Alya and Nino more and more; the four of them had been nearly inseparable for the past two years. Had she been flirting with him? He racked his brain for any clues but he had been so in love with Ladybug, Marinette had barely made his radar. Yeah, she was cute, adorable, super nice, and...and...well, she was great, sure, but she wasn’t  _ Ladybug _ . His lady. His buginette. The girl he had been  ~~ obsessed ~~ in love with for three years. He felt bad for breaking Marinette’s heart but he had to. He just didn’t feel the same. Then why did he feel like shit? 

“Ugh, stop driving yourself insane. It’s not like she’ll never talk to you again.  Get over it already, drama queen.” Plagg’s high pitched whine and over exaggerated sigh broke into Adrien’s inner monologue.

“Plagg, I have to know that she’s going to be alright.” Adrien looked over at his kwami who was scowling at him. He knew he didn’t really have the right to go over there. Not after today; she definitely didn’t want to see Adrien right now. But maybe as Chat…

“Plagg, claws out!”

* * *

Chat Noir was vaulting over the rooftops making his way to the familiar balcony. He had been here only a few times as Chat, thinking about when they fought Evillistrator and Animan. As he hopped onto her balcony, he could hear her sniffles and it crushed him. He had done that. He shook his head and tapped on her skylight with a claw. 

“Princess? Are you alright?” Marinette opened up the window, dragging her hand to wipe away the tear tracks on her cheeks. 

“I...I’m fine. J...Just had a cr...crappy day, that’s all. Wh...what are you d...doing here?” She asked with a quizzical brow and a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

He realized a bit too late that he didn’t have an answer. He obviously couldn’t tell her the truth. So…

“I was patrolling when I saw your light on. I thought I would stop by and check on you. If that’s not okay, I can just go…” His voice trailed off. 

“Oh. Um…actually. I wouldn’t mind some...company.” Her eyes brightened a little bit more. She knew he didn’t have patrol tonight. She knew he was lying. But at the moment, she didn’t really care. She didn’t really want to be by herself. 

“Do you...want to talk about it?” Chat’s voice sounded weird even to himself as he lowered himself into her room. He really had no idea what he was doing. He just wanted to be there for her and make sure that she didn’t feel completely alone. 

“No, not really.” Marinette turned pink as she looked her walls. Chat could see that they were fairly bare but there were several squares that were a different shade of pink, as if she had just taken down some decorations. Or pictures. Of him? He shook his head. He didn’t want to think about that just yet. 

“Well…” The awkwardness continued to envelope the room. He could leave but he didn’t really want to. She also wasn’t exactly kicking him out. He looked over at her and saw that she had folded into herself, her arms wrapped around her chest, staring at the floor. Chat knew that look; hell, he had invented the desperate-for-human-touch pose. A plan started to form.

“We could watch a movie?” Chat posed the question to Marinette who looked up, the corners of her mouth beginning to turn up. 

“Yeah, sure. That sounds good. What type of movie?” 

_ Well definitely not romantic,  _ Chat thought to himself. And definitely not comedy, Marinette didn’t look like she was ready to laugh yet. He could say a drama but they always had some type of love story included and Chat just didn’t want to go there. 

“Horror?” The word was out before he had time to fully think it through. Marinette liked horror, right? 

“Well, I’m not really into that super gory stuff but I like suspense movies. I’d be up for that, I guess.”

“Great! I have the perfect movie in mind. It’s pretty scary but has a good plot and no blood and guts or anything.” 

“Okay. I’ll go down and grab some snacks while you find the movie. We can use my laptop.” Marinette opened the hatch to go down to the kitchen, waving in the direction of her computer. 

Chat pulled up his favorite streaming service and quickly found the movie he wanted. As he waited for Marinette to come back upstairs, he looked around her room. He quickly noticed that there wasn’t a couch and that the chaise didn’t really look that comfortable. They could sit on the floor but for a two hour movie, it didn’t really sound that appealing. Marinette came back up the stairs and saw Chat’s eyes searching her room. 

“Looking for something?” she chuckled. He could be such a goof. 

“Um...where do you want to…” his voice trailed off. His eyes flicked her to loft bed and then back to her. 

“We can watch it up on my bed. It’s much more comfy anyway. That way you can leave out the skylight when you need to,” Marinette stated nonchalantly, like she always had boys in her room, which, however, she decidedly did not. Her heartbeat picked up a bit at the idea of having Chat in her bed. But it was Chat. Her goofy, nerdy partner. She shook off the feeling and climbed up her ladder. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The movie night with Marinette takes an unexpected turn and Chat finds out something he wasn't supposed to know.

Marinette crawled under her covers first. She situated herself as Chat passed her the computer. He gingerly stepped up onto the ladder and hesitated a moment. He was going to get into bed with Marinette.  _ It’s not like that,  _ he chastised himself, feeling the heat rise up his neck. Her heartbroken expression from earlier found its way to the front of his mind. His blush was replaced by guilt. He shook his head. He wasn’t Adrien right now. He was Chat and Chat could comfort Marinette by watching a movie with her.  _ In her bed.  _ Chat shook his head harder. 

Marinette looked at the scene in front of her. It seemed like her partner was having an argument in his head that only he could hear.  _ What a dork _ , she smiled to herself. Marinette threw the covers back. “Ready?” Chat looked up at her, determination in his eyes. His look soften and he climbed under the covers. “Ready.”

The movie was pretty scary, maybe a bit scarier than Chat had remembered. Every time the little girl with the long black hair popped up on the screen, Marinette got an inch closer to him. He tried to suppress a smile every time she squeaked and hid her face behind her hands, peeking through her fingers before squeezing them shut again. At around halfway through the movie, Marinette was pressed up against his side. Without thinking twice, Chat lifted and placed his arm around her shoulders. She curled into his chest, face buried in the leather of his suit. His arm fell across her back with his hand landing at her waist. He stiffened a little, stunned, but slowly melted around her. This felt so...so...right. Before he could over analyze this new feeling, he buried his face in Marinette’s hair and inhaled. 

Chat’s eyes flew open and his whole body froze at the familiar scent. Marinette looked up at him and raised a quizzical brow. His steady breathing, the one thing keeping her calm during the movie, had stopped completely. “Chat?” His eyes were fixed on her. No, not her. On her...head? “Are you…” Chat’s senses rushed back to him like a freight train. He pushed himself off her bed while stammering excuses all in one fluid motion. “You...no, I...I forgot...I mean...gotta go...bye.” Chat literally vaulted off her bed and through the skylight. By the time she had scrambled out from beneath the covers and poked her head through the window, he was gone. Suddenly, a scream pierced the darkness and Marinette was halfway to Tikki before she realized it came from her laptop. She slammed the computer shut.  _ Well, I’m not going to be getting any sleep tonight,  _ she shook her head, heart racing, still baffled at her partner’s hasty exit.

Chat ran until his lungs burned and his legs ached. Was he even still in Paris? The rooftops had gotten more difficult to vault to but he hadn’t stopped until his head quit spinning. He knew that scent. His senses, especially his sense of smell, were heightened when he was transformed. He knew that scent. It filled his nose every time an akuma attacked. It clouded his mind and made him all goofy during every patrol. It was last thing he would smell before throwing himself in front of another attack, protecting his partner, the love of his life. Her name escaped his lips like a sigh.  _ Ladybug. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 of my first fan fic! I hope you enjoyed it! It definitely isn't ending here so stay tuned for more angsty MariChat! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Has Adrien figured out Marinette's secret? And how will he face her the next day at school?

As the darkness lifted, Chat slowly found his way back to his room. As his feet hit the ground, he de-transformed back into Adrien and Plagg spun out in front of him.

“What the hell was that?! You know what, I don’t even care, I don’t want to know. I’m exhausted and I neeeeeed my cheeeeeese.” Plagg bobbed up and down in front of a blank faced Adrien who continued to stare off into space. “Hello?! Anyone in there?! I need cheese and I mean the good stuff. You kept me up all night and now you’re just standing there. Helloooooo! Blagh, forget it, I’ll find it myself.” The small black cat zoomed out of the room and through the door.

Adrien stared into his empty room. His mind reeling. _Ladybug is Marinette_. Or perhaps more precisely, Marinette was Ladybug. He squinted his eyes, as if peering into the void of his room would help make the two girls he knew morph into one. He tried to picture Marinette with a mask, gracefully flinging from one rooftop to the next as she threw herself into danger. He shook his head. Marinette and graceful in the same sentence? And throw herself into danger? Sure, on the one hand, she had stood up to Chloe a number of times and was very defensive of her friends. She even ran for class president to represent her peers and make some positive changes. On the other, she seemed skittish and nearly jumped out of her skin when spooked.

_ It’s kind of adorable. _ Whoa. Where had that thought come from? Adrien groaned while throwing himself onto his bed. He had an early photoshoot before school and needed to be up, dressed, and ready to walk out of the house in less than an hour. Perhaps he had been mistaken. Perhaps Marinette  _ wasn’t  _ Ladybug. He could have just overreacted.  _ Yeah, that’s definitely it. I just overreacted. Nothing to lose sleep over. _

Adrien lay awake in his bed until Natalie came knocking at his door.

* * *

 

To say Marinette was conflicted would be an understatement. Hanging out with Chat last night was definitely not in her plans for the evening; however, it was not entirely unwelcome. It was weird hanging out with him as her civilian self but had also felt like the most natural thing in the world. She couldn’t get him out of her head. He had wrapped himself around her to comfort her during the movie, sprawled out on her bed, leaning into her, always protecting her…. _ stop it right there, Marinette.  _ She shook her head and then let it fall to her desk. Chat was her partner, one of her best friends. She would never want to put that type of strain on their  ~~ relationship ~~ partnership.  _ Ugh, mangy cat.  _ She really didn’t need this right now. 

“Tiiiiikiiiiiii,” she whined. “What am I going to do?” She peered over at her kwami. 

“You know, Marinette, you could just talk to him. I’m sure he’d listen. You already know he likes you. Honestly, it wouldn’t be that much of stretch for you to be together.” Tikki encouraged her chosen. 

“But its  _ Chat _ . He’s flirty, and arrogant, and showy, and always putting himself in danger, and protecting me, and being kind, and caring, and trustworthy and...ughhhhhhh.” Marinette hit her head on her desk to stop the barrage of muddled thoughts. She  _ really _ didn’t need this right now. What she needed to do was get to school. School. Class. Friends.  _ Adrien _ . Marinette really was having a terrible week.

* * *

 

Marinette peered through the classroom door but Adrien wasn’t in class yet.  _ Of course he isn’t, he has a photo shoot until 11:00. _ Marinette sighed. She needed to stop keeping tabs on him. He had made himself abundantly clear.  _ Not interested.  _ Head down, arms wrapped around her books, Marinette dragged her feet all the way to her desk and slumped into her chair. Alya sat next to her, compassion in her eyes as she patted her shoulder. The girls made eye contact but no words were said. No words were needed. 

Adrien, on the other hand, rushed into class right before the bell rang at 8:05. His photoshoot had been cut short because he hadn’t been focused. He could usually turn his brain off long enough to get a few good shots in but today had been impossible. He would definitely hear about it later from his father. A lump settled in his stomach. He hated disappointing his father but, alas, making his father proud seemed to be the only thing the model, piano prodigy, fencing champion, and star-student couldn’t do. 

So caught up in his thoughts about the events of this morning and the night before, he forgot about his last encounter with Marinette as Adrien. The one where he told her she wasn’t the one, she wasn’t what he wanted, he just wasn’t interested her in her like that. He should have been kind and gentle. He should have given her space. He should have given her an apologetic smile and then turned his attention towards his history teacher. He should have done all of that. But instead…

“Hey, Marinette! You look cute today. I really like that jacket. Did you make it yourself?” Adrien greeted Marinette in a chipper tone. She squeaked -  _ God that’s cute _ \- and slumped further down her chair, hiding behind her history book until he could only see her fingertips, white knuckling the book in front of her... 

Adrien went into panic mode. She couldn’t recognize him, could she? Did she figure out that he was Chat Noir? Was she acting all shy and strange and awkward because she had figured out his supersecretidentityohmygodplaggisgoingtokillme…

“Adrien, why don’t you give Mari some time before you start acting like everything is all hunky dory, okay?” Alya’s voice cut through his thoughts. He looked up at her and winced. She was shooting daggers at him with her eyes. Realization, finally, dawned on him and he stood there open-mouthed. 

“Oh, yeah, right. Uh, sorry.” Adrien turned five shades of red before turning and sitting in his seat. Nino gave him some side-eye and raised his brow. The  _ “what the hell, man”  _ was unsaid but permeated Adrien’s thoughts nonetheless. He was such an idiot. For being so good at so many things, he really,  _ really _ sucked at this.

* * *

 

Marinette couldn’t focus on Mme Bustier’s lesson. It didn’t matter if she looked at the teacher, the board, or her book, Adrien’s blonde locks still invaded her field of vision. A sigh escaped her lips but came out more of a grunt then anything lady-like. Alya glanced at her but Marinette just gave her a half-smile. No reason to worry her best friend at this particular moment. Another wave of blonde locks caught Marinette’s eye. She could really use a distraction from the distraction sitting directly in front of her. 

As if on cue, several screams pierced the quiet classroom before being silenced one by one. The heads of her classmates jerked up at the sound. A strained voice came over the intercom.

“AKUMA! THERE’S AN AKUMA IN LIBRARY! I REPEAT, AKUMA IN THE LI...” 

The voice cut out. A female voice cackled in the background before the microphone screeched. 

“Attention all students,” the high-pitched voice was much clearer now. “I am Dewey Decimator and I am here to make sure all library fines are  _ paid in full.”  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this next installment! Don't be afraid to show me some love if you did! :D
> 
> Get ready for some LadyNoir and wayyyyyy too many library puns next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien is stuck in class while an akuma rampages through the school. Can Ladybug defeat Dewey Decimator without her Chat?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For reference:
> 
> tortue = tortoise/a really slow person
> 
> coquille = jock strap

The class reacted instantaneously. Most of the kids flew under their desks, taking cover from whatever this akuma might throw, shoot, lob, heave, or otherwise target at them. Chloe was on her phone within seconds to complain to her father, the mayor, about another akuma at the high school. Adrien could hear her furiously whispering that this one was definitely not her fault. Ivan, Kim, and Mme Bustier were pushing desks and chairs in front of the front door to form a barricade. Alya, peering out the window to try to get a picture, had already tweeted about the sighting and posted it to the LadyBlog. Adrien, on the other hand, was furiously searching the room for a way out. He looked directly behind him and was momentarily stunned. Marinette had the same look on her face, eyes darting around the room trying to find an opening. _If she’s Ladybug…_ Adrien shook his head. She was probably looking for a way to escape in case the akuma came into the classroom, which, historically speaking, there was a 9 out of 10 chance of happening. But he didn’t have time to weigh the possibility of Marinette being Ladybug, he had to get out of there and transform! He quickly looked to the window. Impossible. He looked at the door. Even less likely. He snuck a peek back behind him to find...no one. Where was Marinette?! He frantically looked around. No one else seemed to notice her absence. _What the hell?!_ He was 89% sure that none of Ladybug’s powers included teleportation. _She’s not Ladybug,_ he scolded. Then he saw it. The back door to the classroom had been left unattended and it was cracked open. Now was his chance. He slowly crawled to the open door only to have it slammed in his face at the last moment. “And where do you think you’re going?” Max’s voice asked accusingly. _Damn, he’s taking his safety patrol duties way too seriously._ Adrien put on the most innocent face he could muster. “The bathroom?”

* * *

 

Ladybug dropped into the library through an open window. The scene laid out in front of her was eerie. Students hid behind shelves, tears streaming down their faces while others were running, mouths open wide. But there was no sound. It was perfectly silent, the only sounds coming from the spiraling yo-yo next to her. She slowly made her way through the aisles of books. Akumas usually wore bright, flashy, semi-ridiculous outfits which made them easy to spot but she saw nothing of the sort. As she walked down the seventh aisle of perfectly straight books, Ladybug glanced behind her. It looked like the books had moved. She turned around and started to squint at the bookcase when two students ran past her, knocking her a bit and distracting her. By the time she got back to the books in question, there was nothing there but, well, books. She slowly turned and started back towards the end of the aisle. Three young students crouched under the table, two were in shock and the third was shaking uncontrollably. She leaned down and put on her sweetest smile, the same one she used when she babysat Manon. 

“Hey guys, it’s not safe in here anymore. You should get out while you can. There’s a door over…” Ladybug’s lips moved to say “there” but no sound came out. She tried to clear her throat. Nothing. She twirled around to see Dewey Decimator with a smug grin on her face. 

“No talking in the library! It really  _ bugs _ me when people break my rules!” The akuma spat at Ladybug who rolled her eyes. Of course this particular akuma would enjoy word play. Speaking of, where was that mangy cat of hers? As she crouched into a fighting stance, Ladybug noticed Dewey Decimator slipping a card into her bag. It simply contained the word “there” in a basic serif font. She catalogued that piece of information away for later. She didn’t have time to figure it out now. 

A purple butterfly appeared over Dewey Decimator’s face and she nodded furiously, listening to a voice only she could hear.  _ Hawkmoth.  _ It always fired Ladybug up when she saw that symbol; to be so close to her enemy and yet so far away was exceedingly frustrating. “Ladybug, it seems that you  _ owe _ something to a certain Monsieur and it’s my job to collect  _ unpaid fines. _ Hand over your miraculous and you can live to borrow another day.” The akuma drawled. Ladybug smirked and opened her mouth. Nothing. No sound came out. Dewey Decimator broke into an evil grin. Ladybug’s confidence faltered. She wasn’t usually the one getting hit by akumas. She needed to get out of there. She needed to regroup.  _ I need to find Chat. _ Her sudden departure was punctuated by the soft buzz of her yo-yo.

* * *

 

Adrien sat under his desk feeling completely helpless. A frustrated Plagg kept poking him from inside his jacket pocket. It’s not like he wanted to just sit here! He restlessly tapped his fingers on his bobbing knee. He needed a way out of the room...

“Marinette? Marineeeette? Hey, Nino, have you seen Marinette? I could have sworn she was just here.” Alya’s voice cut into Adrien’s thoughts. 

“Huh. No. I mean, I thought she was with you.” Nino craned his next to look past Alya at the empty space next to her. 

“Adrien, have you seen Marinette?” Her eyes were making quick work of the classroom. A murmur started throughout the group of classmates. Marinette’s absence was quickly being noted. 

“God, Marinette couldn’t be in the right place at the right time if her life depended on it. What a dweeb. I hope the akuma gets her. Then I wouldn’t have to look at her hideous pigtails anymore.” Chloe’s particular brand of sass was loud enough for the entire class to hear. 

“Oh no! You don’t think the akuma got her, do you?” Rose teared up at the thought and looked to Juleka for comfort. She was all too happy to embrace her terrified friend and reassure her. “Marinette will be fine. She can handle herself. Remember when she helped us during the Darkblade akuma?” 

An idea came to Adrien. He had those at times. He wasn’t just the muscle of the operation after all. 

“Mme Bustier, what if Marinette is in danger? Should we go look for her? I mean, I would be willing to go. I wouldn’t want her to get hurt or anything while on school property.” Adrien gave as sincere a look as he could. He hated to worry his classmates but if he could get out of this room, he could transform. Then he could help Marinette. Or Ladybug. Or both?  _ Oh boy, Agreste.  _

“That’s a good idea, Adrien. Would anyone else like to be a part of the search party?” Mme Bustier’s eyes lingered on Adrien before moving to the other students in the class. 

“I’m in! I bet I could out run that akuma. I did get first at the county athletics tournament three years in a row. This akuma probably didn’t even make it through the semi-finals. They’ll never even see me coming!” Kim spoke up. 

“As a member of the safety patrol, I have to advise against this. Risking more students’ well being is not worth the benefit of aiding one,” Max’s voice rose from the back of the classroom, concern tinging his tone as he glanced at Kim. 

“I’ll go too!” Alix raised her hand. 

“Wh...what?! You can’t go. Boys only. We’re faster anyway. You’d just slow us down,  _ tortue, _ ” Kim pointed a finger at the short girl with red hair.

Alix huffed. “ _ EXCUSE-MOI _ ?! I have my skates and I’m twice as fast you. Want round 3? I’ve already beat you twice and I’ll beat you again,  _ coquille! _ ” 

“That’s ENOUGH!” Mme Bustier’s usual quiet demeanor had faded completely. “Adrien, Kim, Max,  _ and _ Alix, go out and look for Marinette. Check in every 10 minutes so we know you are okay. Everyone else, stay hidden and  _ for goodness sakes, keep quiet!”  _

Adrien breathed a sigh of relief as they left the classroom out the back door. He quickly lost his companions and rushed down an empty hallway. Still ramped up from his successful escape, he freed Plagg from his pocket and wasted no time in transforming. Before the green light even faded, Chat Noir was bounding down the hallway on his way to the library. If he had looked back, he would have seen a red and black bug with her mouth hanging open. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...I started writing the akuma fight and got carried away with how their classmates would react. I really enjoyed writing them and I hope you enjoy reading about them. The fight will continue next chapter. I will deliver those promised puns yet!
> 
> Don't forget to show some love if you like it!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir need to defeat an akuma but it's hard when you've just discovered your partner's secret identity!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to keep the akuma fight all in the same chapter so it's extra long. You've been forewarned!

Ladybug hadn’t meant to see him transform. She had rounded the corner to see Adrien doing the same. She had tried to call out to him, angry that he was in the hallway during an akuma attack and terrified something might happen to him. A black, floating cat had popped out from his jacket. Squinting, Ladybug had tried to get a better look. Certainly it couldn’t be...suddenly, a green flash of light enveloped Adrien and Chat Noir stood in his place. She stared after him as he vaulted towards the library.

A barrage of memories flipped through her mind like a PowerPoint presentation. Her and Chat hanging upside down, stuck in her yo-yo string the first day they transformed. Adrien apologizing for the chewing gum misunderstanding and handing her his umbrella in the rain. Chat shamelessly flirting with her every chance he got while fighting akumas. Adrien telling her how talented and amazing she is. Chat kissing her hand before bounding off to detransform. Adrien telling her thank you but he’s not just into her like that. Chat coming to check on her and watching a horror movie on her bed…

The screech of the PA system brought Ladybug back to her senses. 

“Gerr off me! Arghhh!” Chat’s distressed voice echoed through the empty hallways. Ladybug’s heart lurched. Chat was in trouble. 

“Ladybug, I know you’re out there,” Dewey Decimator’s voice rang out to every corner of the school. “Your and Chat Noir’s miraculous are  _ overdue _ and it’s time that you paid up! You can return them in the library but it closes at 3:00pm so you better not be  _ late _ .”

Ladybug glared at the speaker above her. How dare she threaten her Chat. Adrien or not, he was still her partner. She would sort through her confused thoughts and feelings later. Right now, an akuma needed to be de-evilized and a Chat, rescued.

* * *

Chat finally freed himself from the stack of books that had attacked him. In addition, it was exhausting hitting every tiny card Dewey Decimator threw at him. He had realized pretty quickly what those cards did as students ran silently past him trying to find a way out of the labyrinth of bookshelves. Although, it wasn’t all bad. He had finally found someone who liked puns as much as he did. 

“Look Dew, can I call you Dew? Why don’t we just sit down and sort this out... _ alphabetically _ ,” Chat goaded the akuma. He knew Ladybug would be there soon, he just needed to do damage control until she got there. 

“Chat Noir, you lack the wits needed to best me in a verbal battle. Besides, I would just take the words right out of your mouth!” Dewey Decimator threw another card toward Chat who smashed it with his baton. He jumped off a table and barrel rolled behind a nearby bookcase. He peered through the books to keep an eye on the sneaky akuma. She wore a dress that matched the bookcases exactly. If she stood still long enough, he would lose her amongst the shelves. She had only two items on her: a pair of reading glasses on a turquoise chain and a small bag that she stored her cards in. He heard a rustling nearby that briefly distracted him. By the time he had turned back to the akuma, she was gone.  _ Shit.  _ He slowly walked down the aisle eyes peeled on the next aisle over. Suddenly, a hand grasped his shoulder.

“Hi-yah!” Chat grabbed the hand, the arm, and then body slammed them into the shelf. Instead of a librarian, Ladybug was below him frantically moving her mouth. It took Chat several seconds to register what was wrong. “Did you...did you get hit by the akuma, LB?” She violently nodded her head. “Shit.” Ladybug’s eyebrows flew up at the expletive. “Ah sorry, it’s just, well, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, my lady. I should have been here.” Chat was mentally and physically kicking himself. Ladybug reached out to calm Chat, wishing she could comfort him, tell him to stop worrying, to stop blaming himself. The books behind Chat moved. 

Ladybug was quick on her feet. She pushed Chat aside, flicked out her yo-yo and lassoed the akuma. Chat was immediately by her side. Seeing Dewey Decimator tied up, he sauntered over to her. “Hey Ladybug.  _ Check out _ this librarian! It seems she’s become a bit  _ antagonizing _ , don’t you think?” She giggled and then remembered it was Adrien under that mask. She thought about all the times he had cracked stupid puns at school or out with friends. Her yo-yo slacked just a bit. How had she not seen it before? 

“I’ll take these since you won’t be reading much for a while,” Chat yanked the glasses off and snapped them in half. Nothing. No butterfly. With a furrowed brow, he looked up at Ladybug who was staring at him. They both noticed the slack line a second two late. 

“It’s not quite time to  _ wrap up _ this little party!” Dewey Decimator broke free from the string and ducked behind another set of bookcases. “It’ll not be over until I file you two away under the  _ history section,”  _ she cackled as she ran deeper into the library.

* * *

Ladybug looked at her yo-yo laying on the floor. How had she been so careless? She had been so distracted by Chat...Adrien...she had let her line loose. She looked over at Chat who was still holding the two pieces of reading glasses. 

“I was so sure it was her glasses…” Chat turned them over in his hands. Ladybug tapped his shoulder and he started a bit. She was definitely trying to tell him something, moving her hands wildly. “Ooo! I love charades!” Chat put his fist under his chin with a cheeky grin on his face. Ladybug rolled her eyes. She mimed catching the words coming out of his mouth and then formed a card with her hand. She then mimed putting the card in an imaginary bag next to her hip. “Yeah, I figured out the cards were bad news. Perhaps the akuma is in the bag? Or one of the cards like Simon Says? Either way, we need to find her first. Any ideas?” Chat looked at her expectantly. 

His intense gaze was hypnotizing. Chat...Adrien completely trusted her. He would do anything for her. Had he really been this close this entire time? He quirked an eyebrow and she realized he had caught her staring. She turned her head to clear her throat but quickly remembered she didn’t have a voice. Chat cracked a smile at the awkward gesture. She blushed slightly and moved away from Chat to hide it. The movement did not go unnoticed.

Ladybug looked around the library. She needed to  _ shelf _ her thoughts for another time. She internally grinned at her pun; Chat would have appreciated it. It was obvious to her now that the librarian had been akumatized. She had always been so nice and willing to help students. Ladybug remembered Alya telling her that she had overheard the principal scolding the librarian and insisting that she crackdown on student fines and “misuse” of the library. Alya had noted that the librarian didn’t seem very happy about the conversation. Apparently she had been more upset than she had let on. If Ladybug was a librarian, where would she be? 

As if reading her mind, Chat shouted, “The catalogues! She is called  _ Dewey _ Decimator, right? What if she’s back by the library catalogues?” Ladybug beamed at him. Unable to vocally affirm her partner, she reached up and scratched under his chin. He closed his eyes and relished the feeling before they both took off towards the back of the library. 

* * *

Ladybug and Chat Noir slowed and hid behind a bookshelf as they peered over at the akuma. Dewey Decimator was pulling cards out of her bag, analyzing them, and then cataloguing them into the small drawers in front of her. She was muttering to herself, making sure that each card was put in its correct location. Ladybug grabbed her yo-yo and looked over at Chat. They had had too many close calls already and she wasn’t taking any chances. Together, they stepped out from behind the bookshelf. 

“Well, well, well, Dew. It looks like we meet again. I’m going to take a page out of Hawkmoth’s book and just ask that you hand over your akumatized item. Then we can set everything back the way it should be.” Chat walked slowly towards her. 

“How  _ dare you _ joke about taking pages out of book! It should be a  _ crime _ to deface the printed word!” Dewey Decimator spat. 

Ladybug already had her yo-yo at the ready. She stepped forward and threw it into the air, mouthing the words to activate her charm even though she knew no sound would come out. Her yo-yo fell back into her open hands. There was no other item. No charm had been summoned. Without her voice, her power was useless. 

“They say the pen is mightier than the sword,” Dewey Decimator sneered. “I guess they were right.” She held in her hand a familiar card with the word ‘there’ written in bold letters. Panic was evident in Ladybug’s eyes. Without her lucky charm, how could she set things right? Did that also mean she wouldn’t be able to cleanse the akuma? Chat sensed Ladybug’s unease. He hadn’t seen her this off kilter since their very first akuma fight. She had been unsure of her abilities then and more than a little clumsy.  _ Just like a certain raven-haired girl I know,  _ he thought.

So wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn’t see Dewey Decimator slide Ladybug’s card back into the bag and pull out a blank one. With an evil grin, she took it in her first two fingers and flung it directly at Chat. Ladybug saw it happen as if in slow motion. She quickly stepped in front of Chat, wrapping her arms around his neck. The card bounced off her shoulder blade and flew back to the akuma. It was still blank. 

Chat’s arms automatically wound their way around Ladybug’s waist. She clung to him tighter and he once again buried his face in her hair and inhaled.  _ Marinette,  _ he smiled to himself. He had finally found his lady. 

“Ugh! No PDA in the library! That’s rule number 5. And if you break a rule, you must  _ pay  _ the consequences! _ ”  _ Dewey Decimator pulled a pencil out of the tightly wound bun on the top of her head. She pointed it at some books that immediately started to pelt the two heros. They broke apart to defend themselves from the onslaught. Once the books had all been shut for good, Ladybug and Chat Noir stood at the ready. They looked at each other and nodded. 

“Cataclysm!” Chat Noir called up his power of destruction. His hand glowed black with magic. Dewey Decimator yelped and turned to protect her pencil, leaving her bag exposed. It turned to ash as the magic took effect, destroying the bag and the cards held within. The akuma screamed in frustration pointing her pencil at another stack of books that threw themselves at Chat. Unprepared for the onslaught, he fell under the weight of the books, trapped under a heap of paper and leather. 

“Way to read between the lines, Chat Noir.” Ladybug threw him a disarming smile and his breath caught. She turned back to the akuma, aware of the effect she had had on him. “Lucky charm!” Ladybug tossed her yo-yo in the air. A small cord fell into her hands. She looked at Chat who raised a quizzical brow. The akuma scoffed. “What is technology compared to the written word?” Dewey raised her pencil, ready to command another set of books to attack. 

Ladybug looked around the room, her shoulders set in determination. A cell phone on a table next to her lit up red with black dots. She kept searching. A portable speaker lit up next. Ladybug smiled and looked back at the akuma. With a flick of the pencil, the books began to hurl themselves at Ladybug. She jumped to the table and picked up the cellphone. She twirled over and grabbed the speaker. In one fluid motion, she plugged the phone into it and pressed play. Loud, hard metal music began blaring in the library. 

“YOU MUST BE QUIET IN THE LIBRARY!” The akuma screamed throwing her hands over her ears. The books fell to the floor. Ladybug lunged at Dewey Decimator and grabbed the pencil. She quickly broke it in half. “Your story is at an end, akuma!” Ladybug threw her yo-yo at the black butterfly. “Time to de-evilize!” In a flourish, the butterfly flew away white once again. 

“Bye bye, little butterfly.” Ladybug loved watching the purified akumas leave. She heard a gasp behind her and winced. The librarian had turned back into herself. “What...what happened?” This was the worst part of the job - telling a confused and dazed victim what they had been capable of. Ladybug picked up the cord which cut the music. “You were akumatized, Mme Livrette” the librarian’s face fell. “But no one was hurt and we’re going to put everything back in order.” Ladybug threw the cord in the air, “Miraculous Ladybug!” Red ladybugs zoomed throughout the library, righting books and shelves. Students could be heard in the hallways, regaining their lost voices. Chat stood in wonder, the books having been swept back to the shelf. Watching Ladybug’s magic fix what was broken was always awe-inspiring. She looked over at him with an unreadable look. He stepped towards her, a thousand thoughts running through his head but not sure where to start. Ladybug spoke first. 

“Thank you, Chat. I couldn’t have used my Lucky Charm without you. You’re always there when I need you most.” Her words warmed Chat and he bowed low, kissing the back of her hand. “For future reference, I’ll always be your knight in shining armor,” Chat swallowed the  _ princess _ that was on the tip of his tongue. His ring beeped. “You’re...you’re about to change back, Chat,” Ladybug eyed him, a slight blush working its way onto her cheeks. “Well, Ladybug,” Chat, empowered by her reaction, continued. “Perhaps next time you’ll let me check  _ you  _ out.” He gave her a once over and then winked. Ladybug opened her mouth to reply but then blushed an even deeper red.  _ Well that’s new,  _ Chat smiled to himself, vaulting out a window to find a safe place to detransform. Ladybug stood there red as an apple, stammering as the press burst in to get their post-akuma fight interview.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for posting this so late but thanks for sticking with me. I only have one chapter left for this series!
> 
> Show me some love in the comments if you liked it!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien knows that Marinette is Ladybug. Marinette knows that Chat Noir is Adrien. But the final reveal doesn't quite go as Adrien had hoped. Will Marinette ever be able to forgive him?

Marinette sat on her bed, feet dangling off the side. She was furiously writing in a pink polka dotted diary trying desperately to process through the last 24 hours.

> _Dear Diary,_
> 
> _ADRIEN IS CHAT NOIR. The sweet, beautiful, blonde haired boy that I have been in love with is also my quirky and at times irritating partner. What am I going to do? Adrien doesn’t like me, he said so himself, but then he came to my house as Chat to “check up on me?” What the heck? Chat has been flirting with Ladybug since we started fighting together. Does Chat like Ladybug? Does_ Adrien _like Ladybug? Then does Adrien actually like me? Will he still like me when he finds out_ I’m _Ladybug?_ If _he finds out I’m Ladybug? Do I tell Chat I know he’s Adrien? Or do I tell Adrien I know he’s Chat? And do I tell him as Marinette or as Ladybug?!_

“Tiiiiikiiiiii” Marinette turned to the little red kwami. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Well, Marinette. Maybe you should…” A tapping at the window interrupted her and she flew into a drawer to  hide as Chat Noir’s face came into view through the skylight.

“Good afternoon, Princess,” Chat greeted Marinette as she opened the window to her balcony. “Do you have a minute for your favorite superhero of Paris?”

“Well...I was...actually...um...sure!” She finally managed to squeak out. She wasn’t ready for this. She hadn’t made any decisions or decided what to do or how to do it or when to do it but she definitely wasn’t ready right now, or was she? Could she be? She buried her face in her hands.

“I wanted to apologize,” Chat started off carefully, fully aware that Marinette looked like she was having a mental breakdown. Marinette looked up at him through her fingers, an eyebrow cocked. “Well, for leaving so suddenly last night. It was very rude and I didn’t even get a chance to explain.” Chat rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “You see, I realized something last night that surprised me, although now it doesn’t really seem all that surprising, but when I...uh...smelt your hair...God that sounds weird...I realized that you smell like...gah, still weird...well, that you smell just like…”

“How about finishing that movie, _hein_ _?”_ Marinette cut him off and nearly pushed him off the bed reaching for her laptop.

“Oh,” Chat righted himself and looked back at her. “I mean, Mari, this is kind of important. I think you should know that I know that you’re…”

“Where were we again? The creepy little ghost girl, she was about to off her babysitter right? Or was it the gardner? I forget which one she blamed for killing her at the beginning…” Marinette was fumbling with her laptop password, unshed tears blurring her view.

Chat knew she was Ladybug. _Adrien_ knew she was Ladybug. And he was going to break her heart all over again. She wasn’t good enough. Clumsy, always late, bull-in-a-china-shop Marinette was Ladybug and she was going to lose the love of her life and partner in one fell swoop. The sadness tearing at her heart quickly turned to anger. He couldn’t break her heart if she broke his first.

“Mari...what’s wrong?” Chat lifted her face up to him, his concerned gaze boring a hole into her soul. Her look turned to steel and she jerked her chin away from him.

“I know who you are Chat. I know you’re Adrien,” she started, tears streaming down her face. Chat’s look of bewilderment egged her on. “I know that two days ago, you told me you weren’t interested in me after I told you I loved you. That I _loved_ you, Cha...Adrien. You said thanks but no thanks. And then what did you do? You came to my house. My _room_ . You knew...you _knew_ you had just _crushed_ my feelings and you came over here pretending like everything was okay. _Lying_ to me about who you were and why you were here. And I let you _comfort_ me and and watch a movie with me when _you_ were the one who hurt me in first place. _You_ were the one who broke my heart,” Marinette delivered the last line like a blow, a dagger sliding purposefully into its target.

Chat sat, open-mouthed, staring at Marinette. This was not how he imagined this conversation going. He had wanted to tell her that he knew she was Ladybug, that he loved her completely. He had imagined hugs and impassioned kisses as they made up for lost time, laughing over how blind and stupid they both had been. Instead, Marinette...Ladybug...was destroying him from the inside out. Everything she said was true. He had snubbed her as Adrien and then lied to her as Chat.

“I...I didn’t…know...”

“What, Adrien. You didn’t know I was Ladybug?” she threw the revelation at him like a knife to the heart. “And now that you know, all of the sudden it’s okay? It’s not okay, Adrien. I might be Ladybug, but I’m still clumsy, old Marinette, and if you” her voice broke and a sob wracked her petite body. “If you didn’t love Marinette, then maybe you never really loved Ladybug.”

* * *

Adrien sat on his bed, staring numbly once again into the void of his room. He wasn’t even sure how he had ended up back here. Her words echoed in his head, a devastating track on repeat that refused to stop. _Maybe you never really loved Ladybug._ He knew it wasn’t true. He loved her and he always would. But the words still stung and the look on her face was forever etched into his memory. Two days ago, he had hurt her feelings as Adrien. But today was different. He had completely failed her as both Adrien and as Chat Noir. Her crush and her partner. He wasn’t sure if she would ever forgive him. Silent tears rolled down his cheeks as he hauled himself off his bed to get ready for his fencing lesson.

* * *

It had been six weeks since the librarian was akumatized. Six weeks since Adrien and Marinette had last spoken. Six weeks since Ladybug and Chat Noir had last been in-sync. There had still been akumas, of course. At least one a week. There had been the Recyclinator, a young man upset about the amount of trash in the streets who could create tornadoes of green gas that turned people into trees. There had also been the Director, a movie director whose movie didn’t make it into the festival. He had turned Paris into a black-and-white, silent movie. The look of fear on Ladybug’s face when she had lost her voice again had almost done Chat Noir in. Still, they had persevered. But there were no fist bumps at the end, no puns or quips or flirting. Adrien sat on his couch thinking over the past six weeks. He was exhausted, not from the monsters that terrorized Paris, but from keeping his feelings at bay, walking through each day as if on autopilot. He missed his best friend. And not just the one in red and black spots. Marinette wouldn’t even look at him and he knew Alya and Nino were both feeling the strain too. Adrien covered his eyes with his elbow. The tears that were always on the verge, flowing freely down his cheeks. A tapping at his window startled him and he jumped into his fighting stance. A girl in red and black spandex was climbing through his window.

“Ladybug,” her name slipped out of his lips in an awed whisper. She winced and then chastised herself but the name stung. It was a cutting reminder of who he was really in love with. She straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. She could do this. She had to do this.

“Adrien, I came to apologize,” Ladybug started, voice strong; however, as soon as she saw his red-rimmed eyes, she completely deflated. Looking at the ground, she held her arms over her stomach. “I’m so sorry,” she said as her own tears welled up in her eyes.

“You’re...sorry? What on earth do you have to apologize for?” Adrien had taken two steps towards her but stopped.

“For what I said,” she continued, still looking at the floor. “I didn’t really mean it. I was so upset and afraid and I said what I said out of spite and fear because I just wanted to hurt you before you hurt me. But that wasn’t fair. It’s not your fault you can’t love a train-wreck of a girl like me. I should have never said those things to you like that…”

“Wait, what?” Adrien was slowly walking towards her unable to comprehend what she had just said. “You were scared? Of me hurting you? You thought I was there to tell you I didn’t love you?”  

Ladybug took one step backwards, trying to shield herself from getting her heart broken all over again. “I...I understand I’m not...who you thought I was. I...understand if you...feel differently now. I just…” Adrien was standing in front of her now. He lifted her chin up so her eyes met his.

“De-transform.” It was more a command than a request. Ladybug closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face, and shook her head. “Please, my lady, de-transform.” She squeezed her eyes tighter and shook her head again. “Princess, please,” he whispered his plea into the shell of her ear. “I need to see you.” Her transformation broke with a sob and Tiki flew away to find Plagg. Adrien cupped her face with both his hands and gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs.

“Marinette, I have been in love with you since I first saw you take on Hawkmoth while we were fighting Stoneheart.” She looked up and met his gaze. “Yes, you were in a suit, but I knew I loved the strong, brave, kind, and fearless girl under the mask too. I’m so sorry that it took me so long to really see you and I kick myself every day for not realizing it was you sooner. Make that twice a day. You are amazing, both as Ladybug and as Marinette and Mari, I…” Adrien leaned in, his lips not quite touching hers and whispered against them, “I love you” before closing the distance. Her kiss in return and her hands clutching the front of his shirt were all the encouragement he needed to deepen the kiss and tangle his fingers in her hair. He had found her. And she had found him.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm soooooo sorry that this took so long to post. I hope that you loved the ending enough to forgive me! :) 
> 
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated! And thus marks the end of my first fan fic. <3

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fan fic! Woohoo! 
> 
> I could have started with drabbles or one-shots. But no. I've got two full chapters already written and the outline for at least 3 more. Go big or go home?
> 
> Any kudos, comments, or helpful feedback would be a confidence booster and greatly appreciated! :)


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